Wilderness Camping….

 

 

I am terrible. Here I go and publish a blog, but then abandon it…. I have been feeling badly about it, and decided to do something about this awful situation… So I am now posting to my blog. You are now forewarned.

Baking Lessons...

Today I made my father a dessert he could eat without feeling guilty. I didn't have a particular recipe on hand, but I have made it several times before with great results. It was brazed apples and pears in fruit juice with cinnamon. Most people would add a ton of sugar and butter to make the glaze thick and gooey... However, Da is diabetic and trying to loose weight. Adding the butter and sugar would make the desert taste great, but it would also increase his blood sugar and sabotage his weight loss plans. Instead of sugar, I used his favorite fruit juice instead (I know, shocking that Da would drink anything other than orange juice... and its strawberry and banana flavored no less!). The results were fork licking good. Even Mom loved it, and she thinks my concoctions in the kitchen are crazy!

Mom does have a point though... Most of the time when we bake without instructions the results are generally inedible. Even chefs who are brilliant with food, have to have something to guide them when combining flavors and textures. The plan, or recipe, is essential.

This is also true with Christians. The Plan of Salvation is essential to our walk with God. We can try to walk with out it, and some may actually do very well at first, but eventually we all end up in deep trouble because we didn't follow the Master's Plan. No matter what label you apply to yourself spiritually, or what church's pew you occupy, you are responsible for following the plan if you want to enter the Kingdom of God.

Its not a suggestion, as some would say. We are charged with reading the Plan and following it even when we don't necessarily think it applies to our situation. When we skip through the plan, we skip the lessons and blessings that God has in store for us. If we skip too much, then we may end up in a very unwanted ending, forever separated from God.

Popularity of late has been seen deleting parts of the Plan, much to the detriment of Christianity everywhere. Baptism, obedience, clean-living... They have all been thrown into the garbage heap by the threat of being unpopular with everyone else around us. But Christianity has never been about being popular, or even about how many people befriend you on facebook. Christianity is about finding God, accepting that He is in control, accepting His gift for humanity, and creating a relationship with Him. Popular Christianity, when compared to the Plan of Salvation, doesn't hold up well. Its better to be unpopular if it means losing eternal life.

So, as you walk your path with Christ, remember to bring along the Plan so that you don't loose your way. And if you do get off track, those who have the Plan will find it much easier to set their feet on the Solid Rock once more by reading the pages and following the recipe for life.

God Bless.

What to do with Christmas....?

I have heard all the reasons why Christians should or should not in some way celebrate Christmas. To me, however, most of it boils down to propaganda based in fear. Yes, I know where Christmas started, and I understand all about those symbols associated with Christmas that have nothing to do with Christ and Christianity. Whatever you believe or don't about the matter, you cannot deny that taking time out to pause in wonder at the events that took place some two thousand years ago.

God stepped down from His heavenly throne and entered the world as a baby destined to usher in restitution and salvation for all of mankind.

Even saying it becomes amazing.

Either way, if you celebrate Christmas or not, Jesus' birth was just as important as his death and resurrection in God's plan of salvation. And I find that nothing short of miraculous and glorious.

What Does Jesus Look Like?

I have a sinking suspicion that if Jesus were to walk through a busy airport terminal and sit down next to one of us, that we would not recognize him. We are too busy and distracted by life to pay attention to what is going on around us, much less what the person beside us looks like. Asking us to pray five minutes a day is just like asking a person to give up their life... We don't even like to spare five minutes for our own families, why should we bother spending it with Jesus?

Its sad that you can find a Jesus statue or picture of Jesus in every shade of humanity, but no one really seems to know who he is, or what his purpose in dying on the cross was... Instead of preaching and teaching Christ our churches have become fashion central, and user friendly. No one wants to talk about things that just might offend anyone else. Sinners and saints alike are seen as safe as long as they just attend one service every once in a while...

There will come a day, however, when Jesus will separate those who know him from those who do not know him. So many of us who think we are in the "IN" crowd of Christianity will have a rude awakening when he tells us that what we thought was true all our lives is not... That he doesn't know who we are...

So, what do we do about it?

Lets start with that five minutes. Yeah, you could probably use that time checking your e-mail, but it may be better for your spiritual health to take time out and discover who Jesus really is. Prayer is great, but don't just stop at prayer... There is a whole book written about Jesus and the church that calls themselves by his name. Five minutes doesn't look all that bad when we think about the future and our eternity... After all, there are only two choices... Eternity with Jesus, or eternity without Jesus...

Been Sick...

I haven't posted for a while because I have been ill... Really, I have been too tired to even think about things to post. I just wanted to lay in my bed and cry because it hurt to breathe. (Yeah, I know... I need to quit being a cry baby. But I was really, really sick.)

Anyway, I was thinking about things that bring us comfort when we are sick, and reminiscing about my youth. I don't know about your mom, but my mom always made me feel better when she was worried about me being ill. There is just something about that cold hand feeling my head for a fever, or her waking me up out of a dead sleep (that I finally was able to reach) to check my temp that made me feel that she loved me. And she always made my favorite soup...

But then I grew up, and momma wasn't able to be there all the time. That just made all the times I was ill even worse. No one is a good substitute for Momma, except Jesus. I could say a lot of things here about the goodness of God, but there is nothing so comforting as knowing that He cares for us. No matter what it is that we are going through, He cares. You can always call on Him, and He will always answer your prayer because He cares.

He loves us like a father, nurtures us like a mother, cares for us like a brother. Is there anyone who can compare to God?

I don't think so.

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

But Everyone Else Is Doing It....

Do you remember those iconic words? The words we uttered when we didn't get the answer we wanted from our parents and we really wanted to participate in that one thing that would have made us like everyone else? My mother's response to that phrase, "But everyone else is doing it/going there/has one", was quite simple... She said, "No means no."

Except for a few languages out there, the word "no" means the same as it does here in the USA. It is a denial of permission, the opposite of "yes", and a refusal. So simple a child could understand its meaning, right? Hardly. Even adults have a hard time accepting the answer of "no".

Everyone Else is...

When we first don't get the answer we seek, we try to bring the rest of humanity in on it. Everyone else has a car. Everyone else has an IPOD. Everyone else has a swimming pool. Everyone else gets to go to concerts.

The implied meaning is that everyone else gets to have or do something but you. Furthermore, the implication is adjusted to mean that whomever is denying you the opportunity to join in is being cruelly unfair. This implied meaning does not take into account the reason behind the with holding of permission. I mean, there is a reason you (we) are (were) told "no" in the first place. What that reason happens to be is often ignored because we, as the injured and unfairly treated individual, are focused on the unfairness of it all.

I mean, it is soooo unfair that Cathy has a television with TiVo in her own bedroom, and I cannot have a television at all. My parents just don't understand how important it is for me to have one. It only costs a little bit, not much. They could charge it on the Master Card and I would work it off... Its just not fair.

What we do not take into consideration is that there is usually a reason behind our parents' seeming unfairness.

Money

Money is a huge consideration. You have to have it to live, and there are more important things to spend it on when you have limited supplies. Its rather silly to spend your last dollar on something that could very likely mean starving to death.

Linked with money is that all powerful credit card. Today we seem to think that if the bank account is empty, we can charge it. We don't take into account the cost of that charge. You are going to end up paying more for your charge on the credit card than you are if you pay it in cash.
Credit card bills when you have no money to pay them are not fun.

Responcibility

Not everyone is responcible enough to have a television in their bedroom. If I had had one as a kid/teen, I probably would have had an even greater excuse not to go to sleep until after midnight thirty (really late in country terms). So what if I hadn't done my homework... there are lots of things to watch on that television to distract me until its too late to try.

Along with responcibility is content. What kind of things are you going to allow yourself to view in that there television? Would you just watch the news and cartoons? Would the cartoons you choose to watch be what you should be viewing? Is there any reason to watch reality tv? Not every thing on television is age appropriate, or morally acceptable. Would you really watch that show if your parents were in the room with you?


Danger!

Could you put yourself in danger by having that? If not physical danger, what about spiritual danger. Parents who are watching out for danger refuse us things because they could lead us to harm, injury, or death. That harm, injury, or death does not have to be physical. Spiritual harm, injury, and death are just as devistating as their physical counterpart.


Israel

I Samuel 8 (click text for passage)

In the Bible we are told that even though God set up a Theocracy in Israel, the Israelites wanted an earthly king. They didn't want a king because it would be better, or because it would stop fighting and misunderstanding between the tribes, there were judges and the prophets for that. No, the Bible tells us that Israel wanted a king because everyone else had a king.

They were worried that there would be no one after Samuel to lead them, so they demanded that Samuel set up a king over them in his stead. Samuel was appauled. God was the King of Israel. All things eminated from God to the people of Israel as long as they obeyed His ways. Had he not provided them a way out of Egypt, an escape from tyranny? Had not God provided them with food and water, and leaders, and land? Why insult God by demanding a king?

The people would not listen to Samuel on this, however. They had used that trump card of "Every one else has a King", and had mulishly stuck out their lips and refused to take no for an answer. So when Samuel took the matter to God, He allowed them to have what they were asking for. But he gave them a warning.

Choices have Consequinces

Because Israel did not heed Samuel's warning, they became enslaved to their human leader. The model that God had set for Israel's government was forsaken, and His people enslaved themselves for the chance to be led like everyone else. They got wars, taxes, and a whole lot of corruption in the "King" package. Things God did not intend them to go through, or experience. They also got ungodly leaders who led them further astray from God and His mercy than would have happened had they listened to Samuel and forgot the "King" thing.

Our choices have consequinces also. What we choose to do or not do affects the rest of our lives. When we are faced with that iconic phrase of "everyone else..." we need to stop and look at it more closely. If God, or our pastor, or our parents are saying "no", there is a reason for it. Rather than be like Baalam and Israel and push ahead inspite of hearing that refusal of permission, we need to think about why that "no" is being said in the first place. Because if we do, we could end up like Israel, and experience a whole lot of trouble and trials than we would have if we had listened and accepted "no" as an answer.

Thoughts on Sharing

True sharing is not a part of human nature, it has to be learned.

My mother has a cute little black and tan dachshund-terrier mix named Bella Sera. Bella (or Berra as she sometimes gets called), is a hyperactive jumping-licking-whining-tug of war player. The minute you walk in the front door, she will attack you from the back of the couch with kisses and nibbles. If you make the mistake of paying attention to my dog (Oscar) first, she will then pummel you with leaps and whine like you are killing her. She has three beds, and each bed is full of stuffed (and some no longer stuffed) toys and bones. Those are her toys. She doesn't like sharing them with Oscar, or with anyone else... That is, she doesn't like sharing them with anyone unless you have something she wants.

Case in point...

Saturday, I made peanut butter cookies. I gave one to my niece, Avie, when she and her mother came over to run an errand. Bella took one look at that cookie and decided that she had to have one as well. When I didn't get up and go get one for Bella, she decided to steal Avie's cookie instead. When that didn't work, Bella galloped over to her living room bed, and pulled out her little stuffed shoe toy, and raced back to Avie's seat. Bella then placed the little shoe at the feet of Avie, and barked. Bella's signal that she wants to play, or trade. When Avie ignored her, she jumped up beside Avie in the chair, and shoved her little shoe in Avie's lap. Then the dog cocked her head and let out a garbled, half whined, "Ry Ruff Ru!"

Had Avie been paying attention to anything but her cookie, she would have realized what a rare treat she had been given. The dog that hides all her toys when my niece comes for a visit, was sharing her toy with Avie... Granted, she was sharing because Avie had something that she wanted, but she was sharing none the less...

Some of us would probably believe that Bella's idea of sharing is what true sharing is. We would like to believe that sharing really is about "give and take", but its not. Sharing is about caring. Sharing is about self sacrifice. Its about giving your last dime to someone who has nothing and not begrudging them the gift. Sharing is letting someone borrow your things with no strings attached.

God didn't teach Bella's idea of sharing in His Word. Instead, God taught us to love our neighbor as if our neighbor was our self. He taught the Ultimate self sacrifice in dying for us on the cross of Calvary, and his Apostles reiterated it through their writings and epistles that make up the New Testament in our Bibles.

Ah! But what if you don't have enough to share? That is what we tell ourselves, right? I don't have enough to share with anyone... Well, half of a little is still more than none. The little boy who gave up his small lunch to the disciples didn't have much either, but he was willing to give what he could. Jesus multiplied that tiny meal and made a feast, but it would not have happened if that boy had not been willing to share in the first place.

Sharing doesn't have to involve a physical object either. So you don't have money, and you don't have food, that doesn't mean you still cannot share. You have in your grasp a very important thing, something that may never be granted again... Time. Sharing your time is as good a thing as sharing a dime. You don't believe me? Ask those men and women who live in the hospitals and nursing homes in our world whether time matters at all. Ask the kids who don't have parents to share their daily experiences with if time matters. I bet you anything that they will tell you time does matter. You can see it in their faces each time you come for a visit, or offer to tutor someone in school.

One last thing...


What you share, and how you share it affects how the world sees the light of Jesus in you. People are watching you. They are looking at your life and how you act. They will use your failures as an excuse not to live for God, and they will use your successes as a reason to trust in God. So think on it a bit... Are you willing to share?

Matthew 5

¹³Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

¹⁴Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

¹⁵Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.


⁴²Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

⁴³Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

⁴⁶For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

⁴⁷And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?